'Owt else or Any Other Business

[Stanley]

I know what you mean Kev. Mick and Margaret will just have returned to the UK from 3 months in Australia so I have to survive until then.....
(And of course that will include a winter!)

[Stanley]

Thanks tp this site (LINK) I am able to alert you to the fact that premium quality nipple covers have been reduced from £25 a pair to £15.00.
The wonders of the internet.......

Another thing I have noted of late is the very heavy advertising for a new credit card. 'Capital One' They make much of the fact that users can rely on how it will react and work. They do not heavily advertise the interest rate which is 30%!

[Stanley]

Spooky fact.... I got a message today that HSBC are putting their annual rate for credit card purchases up from 20% to 24%. Is it catching?

[Big Kev]

Capsicum produce Bell Peppers and Chilli Peppers. They come from the Solanaceae Family (also Eggplant and Potatoes.)
.
As I’m getting this info, I’m watching Gardening Australia and a story all about Solanaceae popped up… Spooky,

They are getting a lot bigger than Scotch Bonnets, I suspect they are bell peppers. The plant is still producing, not that I've picked any yet.

IMG_20241025_130652~2.jpg

[Stanley]

Be careful when you do use them Kev. I don't know why but they look to me as though they could be quite hot....

Later at 05:40. I heard a bit of news that will please David. The BBC are going to broadcast a chess programme. I think I heard them mention an 8 part series....

[PanBiker]

Later at 05:40. I heard a bit of news that will please David. The BBC are going to broadcast a chess programme. I think I heard them mention an 8 part series....

Falls into the category of watching paint dry for me. I know the rules and enjoy a game and I know it is all about strategy but as a spectator sport it's pretty dry. Same category as watching cricket, even on TV where you get the best view. I like playing it but watching is a non starter. Less said about the deranged folk who trail round golf courses by the thousand to watch a stroke of a second or so every so often.

I can watch snooker all day though, tennis and rugby as well.

[Stanley]

I have to agree Ian, it doesn't float my boat either but then I know nothing about chess......

[Tripps]

The BBC have spotted that chess is very popular now- all over the whole world - thanks to the interwebthingy so have decided to join in the craze. and seem to be about to bring back the equivalent to Pot Black.

Gentlemen - do what you wish in your spare time - I couldn't care less. I watch a game or two from Moscow, nearly every day . I think it's marginally more exciting than watching paint dry - if it's excitement you're seeking. I do miss Plaques - he "got it".

Here's Pinkamena's latest game.Time limit five minutes for each player. Often it's a three minute limit - the paint dries faster then.

[Stanley]

I watch Anna Cramling often on Youtube David......

[Tripps]

So do I - It's nothing to be ashamed of. . . .

Her mum Pia Cramlimg (First FIDE Woman Grandmaster) is starting a battle of the generations against an unklikeable (for me) young man called Levi Rosman (International Master) in a few days time. That should be 'worth a look'.

[PanBiker]

Here you go Stanley Panbikers guide to Chess:

Two opposing armies, equal strength 16 on each side one white and one black.

Formed up in two ranks of eight, back rank has the muscle and nobility front rank the canon fodder, (no cannons in the game).

White:
Back rank, Left Castle, then a Knight, Bishop, Queen, King, Bishop, Knight, Right Castle - White Queen starts on a white square.
Front rank, Eight pawns arranged across the board in front of the higher value pieces.

Black:
Back rank, Left Castle, then a Knight, Bishop, King, Queen, Bishop, Knight, Right Castle - King and Queen are reverses and directly opposite the White pair.
Front rank, the black pawns.

White always has the first move, players take turns. Object of the game is to directly threaten the opposing King with who has no possible escape moves. Threatening with an escape option is called Check, winning move is Check Mate.

Pawns - can move one square forward only, two on their opening move, they take opposing pieces on the forward diagonal, no retreat!

Castles (aka Rooks) - can move as many spaces at they want in a straight line, vertically, horizontally, forward or back.

Knights are the Cavalry and can jump over pieces, two forward and one to the side or one forward two to the side, they also can go forwards or backwards on the board. Moves will always end on the opposite colour square from the one they left.

Bishops - they move as many squares at they like but diagonally forwards or backwards. Each side has bishops that cover all the black and white squares.

Queen - the most powerful piece on the board, she can move in an direction and as many squares as she wants forward or back.

King - in any direction but only one space at a time. There is an exception defensive move that can only be played once and that is Castling. The move can only be made if the Castle and the King are in their respective starting positions. The rank between them has to be clear. The King moves two spaces towards the Castle and the Castle moves to the square vacated by the King. The destination square for the King cannot be under threat from an opposing piece when the move is made. Castling cannot be used if the King is in Check.

Opposing pieces are captured by the attacking piece occupying their square and are removed from the board.

Participation strategy game to be played and not watched.

Plenty of free Chess games online if you want to have go. You can normally set the experience level when taking on the computer or the AI engine driving the opposition. Probably a good one for helping to stave off dementia.

[Tripps]

I amused myself for a few minutes by thinking how the BBC will make this programme more up to date than the original "The Mastergame", which was distinctly "male pale and stale". I've still got the book. How will the participants be chosen to reflect the diversity and wokeness of modern society, and the BBC?

Ability is the only metric in the modern game - hence there are no tournaments at the top level in which women compete. Nigel Short (the lad from Leigh) got involved in that debate and a incurred lot of rancour too. Similarly race and colour are irelevant - in fact the recent chess olympics were won by the current top nation in the sport - India.

The BBC has managed to find a Love Island contestant (and chess expert), who ranks about 2,900 in the order of British chess players, but he is black and telegenic so a shoo in. The main expert is David Howell who despite the handicap of being a genuine Grand Master, qualifies very handily - by being half Chinese.

"In this new show, there seems to be an emphasis on the inclusion of players from different ages and backgrounds. "We are delighted to be making this warm, inclusive and clever series, where the emotional as well as strategic stakes are high," said Camilla Lewis, Executive Producer for Curve Media. "

Remember the Brand Consultancy in W1A was called "Perfect Curve", I wonder if there is any connection? Life imitates art.

The presenter is Sue Perkins who ticks another box - so "all good" as they say in W1A.
"Perkins has both English and German ancestry including a great-grandmother who was an ethnic German from what is now Lithuania.


I can't wait - and wish them well, but I fear the real world is way ahead of them.
It will be fascinating on many levels.

[Stanley]

I shall stick to tangential dividing as my go to cerebral activity.... (And I have to read that up every time I use it!)

[Tripps]

Over the next few days some one thousand six hundred 'horses in training' will be sold by auction at Newmarket. This in my opinion is a huge logistical achievement. The town is small - only about double the size of Barlick, and each horse will arrive smoothly and in a timely manner at the sales ring . I have never seen any delay between lots. The whole experience is very relaxing - like the Manchester airport webcam - and the patter of the exclusively Irish, insubordinate (when they get the chance), each with his own style of patter, auctioneers is slightly hypnotic.

Try it Tattersalls H.I.T. sale live.

[Stanley]

A good auction is always a miracle of organisation and good entertainment. I was a cog in the wheel for many years.... here's Lanark Dairy Auction. Held every Monday.

[Stanley]

I bit the bullet and ordered my next set of castings from Stuart's. The pain will soon wear off!

[Tripps]

I got this photo yesterday. Seems too big to 'attach' so here's a link to it. Fingers crossed.

PS Best to press shift when you click, and the link will open in a new window.
I must have a word about those white trainers with a suit!

My big lad and my granddaughter who got a First, and is now a midwife. The building in the background is the Royal Naval College at Greenwich.

Steve and Libby.

[Stanley]

The link worked OK David and I agree about the trainers.... That illustrates how I have lagged behind in terms of fashion!

[Tripps]

I can hear some fireworks some distance away - got me thinking - Halloween was last week, so it must be Diwali or Deepavali as I used to know it. Maybe Wesak Day? It's too late for Eid al Fitr, also in Malaysia called Hari Raya Puasa, and too early for Chinese New year. Kung Hee Fat Choi for when it comes anyway. Too late for an Asian wedding, and we don't have any Asians in the village anyway.

Then the penny drops - It's your actual November 5th, and it's Bonfire night, or Guy Fawke's night as it used to be known in England. I can just about remember it. Better go and make some parkin. Bad day for it though - midweek - some serious discussions would have been held as to when the fire would be lit.

They've finished now. Metaphor for the nation? Doubt it will get any mention on the BBC.

[Stanley]

It's not the Bonfire night we used to have and there isn't the smell of smoke in the air this morning either!



Bonfire Night 1976 at Hey Farm........

[Big Kev]

Middle offspring has been writing and recording again

[Cathy]

I enjoyed that

[Stanley]

Not normally my bag but I agree with Cathy, very competent and I could actually hear some of the words!

[Big Kev]

Thank you, it seems popular

[Tripps]

The former champion, and current world number one rated player, Magnus Carlsen, gave a good impression of me against the computer a few days ago. As I repeatedly find - it doesn't take much for the whole game to go out of control and yet another defeat. See the look of bewilderment on his face? How is this happening to me?
This will get you up to speed for ther new BBC chess progarmme - coming soon.
Plaques would have loved it.